Belarus president to raise topical issues in his State of the Nation Address

MINSK, 23 April (BelTA) – The Belarus president's State of the Nation Address to the Belarusian people and the National Assembly will focus on topical issues for the society, Speaker of the Council of the Republic Mikhail Myasnikovich told BelTA.

The society pins hopes on the Address as the head of state traditionally highlights the issues that concern everyone, the speaker said. Among them are employment and ways to increase people's income and tackle uneven regional development. The president gave the latter task as he heard out the reports of the government, the National Bank, oblast executive committees, and Minsk City Hall on the 2017 economic results and sustainable economic growth. The Council of the Republic, as a house of territorial representation, pays a lot of attention to this matter. A number of meetings with members of the local councils of deputies of the 28th convocation will take place in the Belarusian regions, Mikhail Myasnikovich said. In his words, the deputies must enable a reliable contact between the voters and the government which should promptly respond to people's demands.

Another issue to be raised in the Address is the update of the investment policy, he added. The production of highly competitive products underlies the Belarusian economy, Mikhail Myasnikovich remarked. The financing of new technologies and companies and the modernization of the existing manufacturing facilities helps expand the presence in the current markets and open up new export destinations, he believes.